Four years of work came to fruition on Match Day 2024 as aspiring physicians across the country got the news they had been waiting and hoping for, including 25 future residents who matched into the Cahaba-UAB Family Medicine Residency and the UAB Selma Family Medicine Residency.

Both programs fully matched. The Cahaba-UAB program, a 20-20-20 program, added residents to each of its four tracks: Urban, Rural, Frontier—serving counties in the Alabama Black Belt—and Highlands, based in Birmingham out of UAB Hospital – Highlands.

The Selma program fully matched with five future residents, who will join current residents, faculty, and staff at Vaughan Regional Medical Center and the UAB Selma Family Medicine clinic.

Overall, 65 UAB Heersink School of Medicine students matched into primary care specialties, representing 38% of the graduating class.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, family medicine welcomed nearly 4,600 future family physicians this week with 4,595 medical students and graduates matching into family medicine residency programs— the largest class of family medicine residents in history. This year, family medicine offered 5,231 residency positions, 124 more than in 2023.

Research links access to a family physician to lower health care costs, longer and healthier lives, and higher patient satisfaction. Match Day is a reminder of family physicians' vital role in their communities—in areas large and small, rural and urban.

The new resident classes for the Cahaba-UAB Family Medicine Residency and the UAB Selma Family Medicine Residency include:

Highlands:

• Olubukola Alonge, M.D. - University of Ibadan College of Medicine
• Rosemary Iriowen, M.D. - Ambrose Alli University College of Medicine
• Zean Liao, M.D. - McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
• Bre’Lynn Smith, D.O. - Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine

Rural:

• Matthew Heart, D.O. - New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Najullah Noor, D.O. - Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Andrew “Payton” Paradise, D.O. - Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Hakan Sahinoglu, D.O. - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus
• Savannah Whitney, D.O. - Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Frontier:

• Daniel Cales, M.D. - University of South Alabama College of Medicine
• Chigozie Ifedili, M.D. - University of Benin School of Medicine
• Robert Martin, D.O. - William Carey University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Johnny Pate Jr., D.O. - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus

Urban:

• Hanna Boge, D.O. - Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Aditi Dave, M.D. - Mercer University School of Medicine
• Julianna Eisele, D.O. - Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Katherine Germann, M.D. - Ohio State University College of Medicine
• Austin Kidd, M.D. - University of Alabama School of Medicine
• Hailie Lim, D.O. - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Auburn Campus
• Emily McCalley, M.D. - Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin

Selma:

• Abhishek Bajracharya, M.B.B.S. – Nepal Medical College
• Arsalan Butt, M.B.B.S. – Shifa College of Medicine
• Monica Grimaldo, M.D. – Caribbean Medical University School of Medicine
• Emmanual Owie, M.B.B.S. - University of Lagos
• Mehtab Rana, M.B.B.S. – Baqai Medical & Dental